I believe that religion can be comforting and enlightening and bring order to a world that feels chaotic. However, that only works when all people feel welcomed. It works when the basic principle is love and finding community through kindness and acceptance. In cases when acceptance is not offered, religion can scar a person's soul.

To live as ourselves, to celebrate God's creativity and love in making us as we are, is NOT sin but FAITH. To call the creative and loving work of God "evil" is sin. To deny its full expression in Godly covenant within the community of the faithful (marriage equality) is sin.

The Bible's one verse on homosexuality is no excuse for horrendously defaming an entire group of people publicly and expecting your employer, with whom you've signed a contract, to "respect" that as your religious belief.

What's up with people who oppose hate crime laws? How can you be against laws that protect people from being targeted because of their race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, disabilities, sexual orientation or gender identity? Well, here's how.

What exactly is it about a human being's sexual orientation that triggers such hate? What's it to them -- the haters of gay, lesbian and bisexual people -- whom other people are sexually attracted to and love? Why are transgender people so hated, so marginalized?

The Texas A&M University Student Senate voted on April 3 to discriminate openly against their fellow LGBT students under the guise of "religious freedom." The only religiously appropriate response this ordained Baptist minister is able to muster at this sad news is "Jesus wept."

It really comes down to this: If, based on your religious beliefs, you demonize people because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, and you deny people the right to have sex and marry, then you are against freedom and equality for those people. You are practicing bigotry.

Chick-fil-A makes a chicken sandwich so good that footballer Cassanova McKinzy chose a college based on the proximity of said sandwich. So good that some people drive miles to imbibe. So good that God said only straight people can eat them. Wait... what?

If Bill Donahue traveled a little more he'd know there are many countries where attempts to censor criticism of religion -- as the Catholic League attempts to do -- are rightly considered archaic and repulsive.

While I appreciate your encouraging statements to the people of the Muslim world, I couldn't help feeling that many Americans are not setting the example of which you spoke when it comes to our own Muslim citizens.

This month, Faith in America released a comprehensive report, "Addressing Religious Arguments to Achieve LGBT Equality." The strategy memorandum boldly confronts religious arguments head on and offers solutions.